The Bizarre Lamborghini Concept That Looks Straight Out Of Blade Runner
Italian tractor magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini began making cars in 1963. He did it to show Enzo Ferrari that a new type of animal would roam the streets of Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, and it wouldn't be wearing a prancing horse badge. Automobili Lamborghini debuted its first car, the 350 GTV, that same year, and the sports car world will never be the same. Known for the "raging bull" insignia derived from Ferrucio's Taurus zodiac sign, Lamborghini enjoyed a decade of success with the 400 GT, Miura, and Espada, all equally iconic Lambos that are now rarer to see on the road than a Huracan.
Things weren't as rosy in the early to mid-1970s. Lamborghini's tractor business was not what it used to be, leading to Ferrucio's waning interest in the sports car business and the desire to retire to his vineyard. It would inevitably start the company's string of bankruptcies before VW subsidiary Audi AG reigned the bull by the horns in 1998. As the company entered receivership for the second time in 1978, the automaker unveiled a concept car at the 1980 Turin Motor Show, a gallant effort despite Lamborghini's financial difficulties. As expected from Lamborghini — maker of the iconic Countach – this 1980 concept was out of this world.
Lamborghini Athon: Bertone masterpiece
Named after an Egyptian sun god (or "Hymn of the sun"), the Athos is a fitting moniker for a roofless, futuristic-looking concept car. The most beautiful vintage Lambos were courtesy of legendary Italian design house Bertone, and the Athos is no exception. Lamborghini started with a Silhouette architecture loosely based on the Jarama. Bertone's Marc Deschamps (who took the helm at Bertone following Marcelo Gandini's retirement in 1979) penned the Athon's unusual yet eye-catching body.
The design is nothing short of dramatic with the Athon's intensely sculpted surfaces and clear-cut lines. It has a smoked wraparound windscreen (made of state-of-the-art glass, said RM Sothebys) in a forward-set cabin with an extended, tall rear deck and short overhangs. Behind the cabin is a 3.0-liter naturally-aspirated V8 engine with double overhead camshafts (DOHC), pumping out 260 horsepower and 237 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox.
And unlike other concept cars, the Athon was built with a certain level of craftsmanship expected from a Bertone masterpiece. It has a digital instrument display (like KITT from Night Rider) from Italian electronics supplier Veglia. The controls for the wipers and indicators are in a pod on the left of a single-spoke steering wheel. Meanwhile, the cabin is resplendent in delicate, hand-crafted beige and brown cowhide.
Ready for the road
The Lamborghini Athon concept tips the scales at around 2,390 lbs, giving it the athleticism of a production Lambo sports car. With its 260-horsepower rear-mounted V8 engine, the Athos goes from zero to 60 mph in 7.3-seconds and has a 170 mph top speed, surprisingly quick for a concept. It also handles like a proper Lambo with front McPherson struts and independent rear suspension, coil springs, hydraulic dampers, anti-roll bars, and dual-circuit anti-lock brakes.
It garnered praises for its futuristic design and exhilarating performance, but Lamborghini had no intention of commercially producing the Athon. Only one Athon is in existence, and it remained in the hands of Bertone until 2011 before it sold at an auction (at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este) for a staggering $487,000. Considering Bertone closed shop in 2014, the Athon is as precious as gold and remains one of Lamborghini's most inspiring concept cars.